NCJ Number
56827
Date Published
1978
Length
71 pages
Annotation
THIS DISCUSSION OF HARMLESS WEAPONS USED BY POLICE IN GREAT BRITAIN FOR CROWD CONTROL CONSIDERS THE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF A HARMLESS WEAPONS POLICY.
Abstract
THE USEFUL ARMORY OF NONLETHAL, CROWD-CONTROL WEAPONS CONSISTS MAINLY OF IRRITANT SMOKES AND KINETIC ROUNDS SUCH AS RUBBER BULLETS. THE SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF USING HARMLESS WEAPONS DO NOT DEPEND ON THE KIND OF WEAPON USED--THE DIFFERENCE IN TYPES OF COERCIVE FORCE IS ONE OF DEGREE RATHER THAN KIND--BUT RATHER ON THE FACT THAT A MECHANISM OF COERCIVE FORCE IS BEING OFFICIALLY USED TO CONTROL CITIZENS. CONDONED USE OF HARMLESS WEAPONS BY THE POLICE IN BRITAIN COULD DESTROY THE TRADITIONAL BELIEF THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS ARE BASICALLY UNARMED, DEPERSONALIZE THE BRITISH STYLE OF POLICE CONTROL, ALTER THE IMPORTANT SYMBOLIC APPEARANCE OF POLICE CONTROL IN BRITAIN, UNDERMINE THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE MILITARY, AND ERODE THE TRADITIONS OF SOCIAL CONTROL IN BRITAIN. IN TESTING THE 'HARMLESSNESS' OF ANY WEAPON SEVERAL ISSUES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED: (1) THE LONG-TERM AND IMMEDIATE EFFECT OF THE WEAPON ON PERSONAL HEALTH, BOTH PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL; (2) THE LIKELY CONSEQUENCES OF ITS USE ON THE INTERPERSONAL ASPECTS OF CROWD CONTROL; (3) THE EFFECTS OF THE INTRODUCTION OF THE WEAPON ON EXISTING ORGANIZATION AND COMMAND STRUCTURE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES; (4) THE DIFFERENCE SUCH A WEAPON WOULD MAKE IN THE CONTEXT OF A GENERAL TENDENCY TO DEVELOP SOPHISTICATED AND REMOTE CROWD-CONTROL DEVICES; AND (5) WHETHER THE WEAPON WOULD PROTECT THE POLITICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SOCIETY. APPENDIXES CONTAIN A SUMMARY OF THE REPORT ON NONLETHAL WEAPONS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT PREPARED FOR THE U.S. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION BY THE SECURITY PLANNING CORPORATION AND A TABULAR SUMMARY OF AVAILABLE HARMLESS WEAPONS WITH DATA ON THEIR CONSTRUCTION, FUNCTION, STATUS, AND POSSIBLE EFFECTS. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)